Archive for July 1st, 2012

Half of the year has come and gone. That could only mean one thing. It’s time for the meme. And it is about time! I believe everyone has been looking forward for this day, especially those taking part for the first time. I do need to thank Roshni for filling in the blanks where last years participants did not submit questions for this meme. I appreciate very much her supplying at least six questions. Well, enough talk – as I learned on Sesame Street, it’s time to share.

Community Network Meme

1. When you were a child what was the hardest or scariest thing in the world (i.e. movie, book, chore, etc.) to you that as an adult is neither hard nor scary?

After careful consideration I would have to say sleeping in the dark. I think I was raised on a night light but sometimes of course the light would not work, the bulb would blow out or I was at a relatives house. I never liked sleeping in the dark but now (thank God) it is not an issue for me. Having someone I love next to me in bed helps a lot too.

2. If you were offered the chance to be a cooking star on a Food Network show, which of these three would you choose for a mentor: Bobby Flay, Giada de Laurentis or Alton Brown?

It would be an honor to be mentored by either of the three. I like the knowledge Chef Flay has and owning many restaurants, producing many of the shows on Food Network makes him the perfect choice. Then again Giada is a chef but her background is more of a personal chef. It would be more like being mentored by the best home cook around. My choice however is the guy who adds some science to the cooking experience. One of my favorite TV shows on the network was Good Eats and Alton Brown was the host. If I could learn how to be a better cook and learn why things happen the way they do in the kitchen, maybe one day you might see my show on Food Network.

3. What is your favorite theme offered by your blogging platform that you are not using and what theme do you absolutely hate? Provide links to both along with your explanation.

The theme that I love but I am not using on this blog is the new Skylark theme. The theme I hate would be Black Letterhead. Uggally!

4. Who is someone from your past that you are sorry you lost track of?

A little more than ten years ago someone from my past did contact me again. It was out of the blue and while talking we realized that we could pick up the friendship just as it left off and we continued being close friends. Recent events may have caused the ending of that friendship but I still hold up hope.

5. What would you take to a deserted island?

This might not be a fair answer to the intent of this question but I would take my wife. I would take solar powered batteries, a satellite phone, food, a shirt and a pair of pants in case we had unexpected guests, knives, matches, wood, rope, water, tools, nails, umbrellas, fully loaded iPod, gun, deck of cards, backgammon board, toothbrushes, toothpaste, wok. Okay, I’m sure the person who came up with this question had something different in mind so I’ll quit here.

6. If you could get into the mind of anyone (living or dead) and read all their thoughts, whose mind would you choose to raid?

This is a tough one because I’ve always thought if I could read the minds of people I would never have any friends. I would always know their true feelings and most often what comes out of their mouth is different than the thoughts they had. Or at least they phrase it differently when they verbalize it. I think I might choose Thomas Jefferson. It was Thomas Jefferson who wrote in a letter the idea of separation of Church and State. This statement from Jefferson cannot be found in our Constitution or any other legal document associated with the United States. From everything I have read about Mr. Jefferson, it was his idea to keep government out of the Church’s business and not the other way around as it has been interpreted in today’s political climate. I just want to hear it from his mind, what he really meant.

7. What are the entire contents of the top drawer of the table directly next to your side of the bed?

There is no longer a desk on my side of the bed. But in the spirit of the meme, when the table did sit beside the bed, there was in the top drawer: a Bible, several pens, my old cell phone and charger, a digital camera, lotion, a dream diary, some Canadian coins, checkbook, and an old shopping list. Oops, a rubber band that is stuck to itself was also in the drawer.

8. What is the one thing you have in your dorm, apartment, or house that you never want your parents to find.

I would have to say the bookmark to this blog on my computer. I just cannot see them understanding the intricacies of what my mind jets forth.

9. Your daughter is having a sleepover for her 12th birthday. Around 8:00 pm a thunderstorm knocks out power. How do you entertain twelve pre-teen girls when all the cell-phone batteries have died?

My very first thought was tell ghost stories but then the vision of those same girls not being able to sleep afterward meant I would not be able to sleep either. The image of 14 boisterous females keeping me awake at 3:00 am was not a pretty one regardless of whether I had to work the next day or not. My next remedy would be to go sit in the car and listen to music with the car lights shining into the house. My wife would most likely not go for that one even though the whole party idea would have been hers!

Finally I have concluded that I have no idea. I would want to sit them down and talk mano y womano and see what is going on in their lives but my daughter would probably die of embarrassment even though I want to be the ‘cool’ Dad. So, in retrospect, the answer is I would not. We would sing Happy Birthday, eat cake and ice cream before it melted and then it would be up to someone else to come up with an idea!

10. What aspect/trait about your personality are you most sensitive about (as in, you wouldn’t stand anyone criticizing about this one aspect)?

Believe it or not, I am open to criticism. No I don’t want to hear it but if there is genuinely something I need to work on, please let me know. Still I think that the one aspect of my personality (even though I hope friends and family know I am kidding about) is the fact that I am always right and everyone else should accept it and come around. Until they do, or I can talk my wife into becoming a lawyer; they better not criticize or I will file charges of slander against them!

11. Mr. Tom Baker has had two previous virtual nude dinner parties. He is now inviting you, his blogger friends to his home for a real nude dinner party. This is not a virtual dinner party; it is the real thing with all expenses paid and the usual five course dinner prepared by him. Will you or will you not be present at said nude party?

Funny thing about this question. Being a home nudist is kind of like having a pet you never let roam outside. I think it’s called an indoor pet? Well, I’m not the kind of person who would venture to a nude beach or a nude vacation or cruise. Strictly nude at home which means no matter how many of you came a knockin’, there would be no nude dinner party. The concept is just a construct of a vivid imagination. If you truly want to be fed, I will gladly cook. I would go get dressed, open the door and welcome you into my home. However, if there is any nudity it will not be by me “butt” I refuse to stop anyone who does want to disrobe, from doing so.

12. What one piece of movie memorabilia from which movie would you love to own?

This is the question that I have been thinking about the most of all the twenty questions. Movies are one of my favorite pastimes. Right now I still don’t have a single answer but I do have several answers. I heard that the most valuable is the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz but I would not want them except to sell at auction. Perhaps the De Lorean from Back To The Future, the gun from Bond’s, The Man With The Golden Gun or the car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Cannot pinpoint just one.

13. If literary characters were real and you could interview any one of them, who would it be and what’s the first question you would ask?

If I could interview any literary character it would be Sherlock Holmes. The question I would ask him is if he could somehow comprehend a form of murder in which he himself could get away with. I would ask because I believe I myself have come up with the perfect murder. I believe evil laugh goes —-> here.

14. If you had to choose a theme song for yourself from only the Classical genre, which song would it be?

15. What is your most quirky habits?

Me have quirky habits. I have no quirky habits. Unless you include, cigar smoking, nose picking, ear wax eating, always being drunk, butt digging, consuming the contents of my finger and toenails, or manscaping; I have none. Well I do do one of them.

16. When was the last time you took the time to act like a child and what did you do?

There are those that believe I have never stopped acting like a child so who am I to disagree? I have been sticking my tongue out a lot lately. I suppose that could be considered childish in certain circles.

17. If there was ever a past relationship, (friend or otherwise), that you could go back and mend, would you? Who would it be with, and why?

This question is so easy for me. Refer to question number 4.

18. What would you do if all of your followers left comments daily and would be it be too much for you to handle? Would you hire someone to answer comments for you?

If all of my followers left comments I would most likely be forced to post once a month just to answer the comments and reply yet again to my replies to their comments. My blog would be lifeless except for that once a month post. If I were able to hire someone it would be to take dictation as I personally reply to all the comments and then have him/her do the physical tying of the comments.

19. Do you know how far back your ancestry goes on either side of your family tree? How far?

If I remember correctly I have information back to my great great grandfather and grandmother on my father’s side and maybe a little bit more information on my mother’s side. I do know we have someone famous on both sides of the family. This is not exactly blood relations but one of my first cousins also has a very famous actor as a godfather.

20. If you could compare yourself to anything in the universe, what would you compare yourself to? Why? (For instance, someone might choose the Phoenix because it’s reborn from its ashes, Someone who derives strength from pain and failures and tries to rise above them all might select the Phoenix.)

I would like to compare myself to a lump of coal. It does not happen every time but when life’s stress and pressure bears down and weighs heavy on me I like to think I could take that pressure and turn that old lump of coal into a precious diamond. I try to do it with myself and I also like to let others know that despite what is going on in their life at any given moment and whatever they have heard in the past, they are all diamonds. Some in the rough and some already shining with a dazzling brilliance.